Hake in Green Sauce, Merluza a la Vasca, Basque Hake in Green Sauce
This merluza en salsa verde recipe poaches hake fillets in a green sauce of parsley, garlic, olive oil and white wine, with clams, peas, white asparagus and hard-boiled egg alongside. The sauce thickens lightly with flour and turns pale green as the parsley cooks in. One serving is about 360 g, with about 38.2 g protein.
Merluza en salsa verde is the classic dish of the Basque Country, and its home is the fishing port of San Sebastian, where hake has been the prized catch for centuries. The green sauce — salsa verde — is parsley, garlic, olive oil and white wine, thickened with a little flour, and the dish is traditionally finished with clams, peas, asparagus and hard-boiled egg, the garnishes of a Basque feast. It is said the sauce was invented to use up the parsley that grew wild around the port, and it is still the first dish visitors are offered in the old town's taverns.
Pairs well with: Crusty bread to mop up the sauce, with a glass of txakoli or dry white wine.
Provenance
Spain
Basque Classic
Mediterranean & Italy
Time Dedication
45m
20m prep • 25m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
368 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 360 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Poached Fish)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Basque Classic
Photo: Avicentegil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Medium — about $6–8 per serving at home (USD)
Made the traditional way: hake poached gently in a parsley and white wine sauce, finished with clams, peas, asparagus and egg.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Fish, Clams & Green Sauce Base
20 Mins • Cleaning & Chopping
Pat the hake dry and season it lightly. Scrub the clams and discard any that stay open. Chop the garlic and the parsley finely — the parsley is the green in the sauce, so chop it well. Boil the eggs for 9 minutes, cool and halve them, and drain the asparagus. Measure out the wine, stock and flour so the sauce comes together without stopping.
Maestro Tip: Chop the parsley at the last moment — parsley cut too early loses its bright green colour in the sauce.
3 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Warm the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan and cook the garlic gently for about 2 minutes until it smells fragrant but has not coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more, stirring all the time.
If the garlic browns, start again — brown garlic turns the sauce bitter.
Done when: Pale garlic in oil, with a thick paste forming.
5 Mins Medium heat, ~175°C (350°F)
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute, then add the fish stock and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir in most of the chopped parsley and season with salt — the sauce should be pale green and lightly thickened.
Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil makes the sauce cloudy.
Done when: A smooth, pale green sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
10 Mins Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Lay the hake fillets in the sauce, spoon a little sauce over them, and cover the pan. Poach gently for about 8 minutes, until the fish flakes easily and the centre reaches 63°C (145°F). Do not let the sauce boil hard.
Spoon sauce over the fish as it cooks so the top stays moist.
Done when: White, opaque fillets that flake at the touch of a fork.
7 Mins Gentle simmer, ~95°C (200°F)
Scatter the clams, peas and asparagus around the fish, cover again, and cook for about 5 minutes until the clams open. Discard any clam that stays shut. Spoon the sauce over everything and sprinkle with the rest of the parsley.
A clam that stays shut after cooking is not safe to eat — throw it away.
Done when: Open clams, bright green peas, and fish bathed in green sauce.
2 Mins No heat
Lift the fish and its garnishes into a warm serving dish or clay cazuela, pour the green sauce over, and set the halved eggs on top. Serve at once, with bread on the table.
Warm the serving dish first — the sauce cools fast on a cold plate.
Done when: A clay dish of white fish in green sauce, dotted with clams, peas and egg.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Finish with a final handful of chopped parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil, and bring the dish to the table in its pan so everyone can spoon up the sauce.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
368
kcal / serving
Protein
38g
Complete AA
Carbs
12g
Complex
Fats
16g
Healthy
| Energy | 368 kcal |
| Protein | 38 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fibre | 2.3 g |
| Sugar | 2.8 g |
| Sodium | 818 mg |
| Energy | 102 kcal |
| Protein | 10.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.2 g |
| Fat | 4.4 g |
| Fibre | 0.6 g |
| Sugar | 0.8 g |
| Sodium | 227 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Hake supplies vitamin B12 and selenium, parsley adds vitamin C and vitamin K, and the egg adds vitamin D.
High in Protein
One serving carries about 38.2 g protein from the hake, clams and egg, which makes this a genuinely filling dinner.
Lean Fish, Light Sauce
Hake is a lean white fish, and the sauce is mostly olive oil, wine and parsley, so the meal stays light at about 368 kcal.
Vitamin B12 & Selenium
Hake supplies vitamin B12 and selenium, and the parsley adds vitamin C and vitamin K to the plate.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Crusty Bread
Bread is not optional here — the green sauce is the best part of the dish, and only crusty bread mops it up properly.
Boiled Potatoes
Plain boiled potatoes soak up the sauce and make the meal more filling without adding another strong flavour.
Drinks
Txakoli
Txakoli, the light, slightly sparkling white wine of the Basque Country, is the local partner for this dish and matches the sauce's acidity.
Vegetables
Green Salad
A simple lettuce salad with a light dressing adds crunch and freshness next to the soft fish and warm sauce.
Complete menu
Serve merluza en salsa verde with crusty bread and a green salad for dinner, with txakoli to drink, and finish with fresh fruit.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Overcooking the Hake
Hake goes dry and tough in minutes once it passes 63°C (145°F), so take it off the heat as soon as it flakes. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Closed Clams
A clam that stays shut after cooking should be thrown away, not forced open — it may not be safe to eat. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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